Pole-pulling device

ABSTRACT

A pole pulling device comprising a frame mounted on wheels which can be raised so that a base support means can be lowered to the ground to surround the pole to be extracted. The frame supports a reciprocating lift means which engages the pole.

O Umted States Patent [151 3,674,239

Wirtgen 1 July 4, 1972 541 POLE-PULLING DEVICE 2,226,456 12/1940 Westendorf ..254/132 [72] Inventor: Reinhard Wirtgen, Windhagen uber. 2424929 7/1947 Haney "254/132 Lin/Rhine Germany 2,777,726 1/1957 Lundgren..... ,254/30 X 2,967,044 1/1961 Corcreham ..254/30 1 Flledr Aprfl25,1969 3,048,368 8/1962 Linaberry 254/132 x l 1 AShWOl'th Primary Examiner-Robert C. Riordon Foreign Application y Dam Assistant Examiner-David R. Melton April 27, 1968 Germany ..P 17 59 410.4 '"Y- Bums and Emmanuel Lobam [52] us. or. .254/2 R, 254/31 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..E2lb 19/00, 360p 1/00 A 8 pole pullmg devlce compnsmg a frame mounted on wheels [58] Field ofSearch ..254/29,30, 132,31 which can be raised so that a base Support means can be lowered to the ground to surround the pole to be extracted. [56] Reierences cued The frame supports a reciprocating lift means which engages UNITED STATES PATENTS the P 1,666,454 4/1928 Johnson ..254/132 3 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 4 I972 SHEET 1 OF 4 III II! POLE-PULLING DEVICE The invention involves a device by way of which guide rail pillars, traffic sign posts and such-like, are pulled out of the ground.

Such work was, up to now, usually carried out with the aid of mobile cranes whereby a rope was slung around the pole and retained by a screw bolt inserted in a bore hole drilled into the pole. Winches are also utilized in some cases, fastened to bolts inserted in the pole.

In both cases, the involvement of labor and cost is quite considerable.

Pole-pulling with the aid of a crane often involves the blocking of a road. Considerable closing measures must be taken, particularly on motor highways which require the customary traffic warning signs giving advance warning and indicating speed reductions, narrowing traffic lane, diversions and detours, etc, markers defining the narrowed zone; and, all these signs and markers must be removed after completion of the work. Such measures also require the support from the police force. Furthermore, such measures also tend to cause considerable interference with the regular flow pattern of traffic involving slow speeds and frequent stopping as well as long delays resulting in the loss of valuable time, increased gasoline consumption and engine strain. Also, measures of this kind entail a marked increase of accident prospects, since traffic congestion often leads to rear-end collisions.

While the utilization of winches for this kind of work does not involve the above mentioned difficulties, their use is extremely complicated and dangerous if carried out in conventional manner.

The ground is torn up in both cases which is not always desired as the replacement pole does not obtain a tight fit in the ground and thus requires extra attention in the form of additional wedging, stone packing, etc.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a device which is simple and safe in application, eliminates the necessity for special measures and avoids the tearing up of ground during the pole-pulling operation.

The invention provides for a lifting appliance (winch, jack or the like) operated by a device such as a spindle, toothed rack, lever mechanism, hydraulic system or the like. The appliance is equipped at the base with a footplate designed to fit around the pole, and on the lifting member thereof with a clamp to seize the pole, or opposing laterally adjustable clamps for engaging the pole, during the pulling operation, with the footplate holding the ground around the pole down and preventing the pole-pulling device from tipping over.

A further development of the invention is that the footplate is either removably attached or fixed to the base, whereby the fixed connection to the base is mainly utilized in heavy and mobile equipment and the attachment-type connection is used mainly with hand winches because transportation of the latter to the next construction site is facilitated by the separate components. The attachment of the base to the footplate is effected in conventional manner by way of bayonet type joints or the like.

In order to obtain a safe grip on the pole, a U-shaped bracket is placed over the pole, whereby the folded ends of the U-shaped bracket, the so-called grips, engage in holder clamps located in the lifting end, thus retaining the U-shaped bracket. As soon as the lifting end begins to rise, the slightly angled bracket presses tightly against the pole and pulls it out of the ground by way of the clamping effect caused by the rising lifting member.

Once the lifting member is lowered the bracket releases its hold and slides automatically with the lifting member down to engage again at the next rise of the lifting member thus pulling the pole further out of the ground.

A further modification provides for a closed ring-shaped bracket, attached to the lifting member by one or several holder clamps. This bracket also engages at an angle and automatically clamps the pole at the rise of the lifting member, thus pulling the pole out of the ground; the bracket disengages when the lifting member is lowered and glides down the pole.

In order to obtain a positive clamping efl'ect of the bracket, particularly against galvanized poles surfaces, the engaging edges are of sharp design and have carbide metal or selfhardening steel welded to them to provide for long service life.

To pull angular, T- and I-section poles, the lifting member is equipped with opposing adjustable clamps which automatically seizethe section during the lifting phase and pull the pole but disengage automatically at the lowering of the lifting member to glide down the pole.

In a further development the footplate has supports with rollers which force the spring loaded; grips apart to clear the profile area of the poles so thatthe polepulling device can be extended and retracted without the aid of a second operator.

In order to render the pole-pulling device easily portable, the base is fitted across supports with hinged wheel forks and the lifting member of the pole-pulling device with forked props which engage on the hinged wheel forks when the lifting member is lowered, thereby forcing the wheel forks down and thus lifting the base-plate off the ground. The pole-pulling device is thus rendered mobile again.

A further variation of the invention provides for the forked props to be hinged and heldin the required position with the aid of a detent mechanism, i.e. a ball detent, whereby the fold ing back of the props permits the lowering of the lifting member onto the footplate without requiring the base to be lifted;

Toprovide for easier handling of the pole-pulling device, handles, similar to those of a hand plough, are fitted to permit easy manual or motor-poweredmovement or control of the device.

In order to facilitate pole-pulling, a hydraulic cylinder is installed in the base of the pole-pulling device, the piston-rod of which rises or lowers the lifting end, whereby the hydraulic fluid is supplied from a handor motor-operated pump unit controlled by valves which are actuated by control levers located in the handle.

The accompanying drawings illustrate various modifications of a preferred embodiment of the invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a lateral partially sectional view of the pole-pulling device with a hand crank;

FIG. 2 is a topview of the pole-pulling device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a U-shaped bracket of FIG. 1, and is taken along the line II.IIII of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a topview of the bracket mounted on the pole, and is taken along the line IVIV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a ring shaped bracket and is taken along the line V--V of FIG. 6;

FIG. 6 is a sectional top view of the device of FIG. 5, and is taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a front view of grips for seizing the web of an I- profile girder;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the grips of FIG. 7 in open position (release position);

FIG. 9 is a rear view of a mobile pole-pulling device in operating position (with base resting on ground);

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the pole-pulling device shown in FIG. 9 in a driving position, with the wheels forced down and the base lifted;

FIG. 11 is a side view of pole-pulling device shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Referring to FIGS. 14, a frame 1 accommodates lifting member 2, which can be moved up and down with the aid of hand crank 3. Frame 1 is inserted in. footplate 4 which provides a supporting base which rests on. the ground 9 to encom pass a girder 7 which is to be pulled from the ground. Grips 5 are fitted at the sides of lifting member 2; these grips retain a U-shaped bracket 6 with holder clamps, so that when lifting member 2 is raised, it is pressed with its hard and sharp edge 6a into pole 7 to pull the pole out of the ground. In the process, the upper section of the lifting member comes to rest with ledge 8 against the pole, thereby rendering the polepulling device safe and firmly planted.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the lifting member 2 having grip l0 welded thereto, and having a ring-shaped bracket 11 with a sharp edge 11a bitting into pole 7 when the lifting member is raised.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a lifting member 12 with. grips 14 hinged at pins 13 and urged by tension springs 15 in operating direction; these grips come, during the lowering phase, in contact with supports 16 and rollers 17 which are attached to footplate 19, rigidly connected to base 18.

FIGS. 9 through 11 show a pole-pulling device of mobile design, hydraulically operated and motor powered. A hydraulic cylinder 22 is installed on a base having a footplate 21, and the piston of the cylinder moves the lifting member 23 up and down. During the up-movement, pole 7 is pulled out of the ground 9. Pressure pump 25, driven by combustion engine 24, supplies the pressure oil available from hydraulic oil tank 26. The device is controlled by a two-way valve 27 which is operated by a linkage 28 connected to a control lever 29 mounted at one of two handles 30. Handles 30, used for moving the device from one location to another, are attached to cross tie 31, which is rigidly connected to the base 20. Wheel forks 33 with wheels 34 are hinged at axles 32. Fork props 35 are hinged at pinions 36, mounted on the lifting member 23, and detained in operating or off position by way of detents 37. When the lifting member 23 is lowered while fork props 35 are swung out (operating position) then, wheel forks 33 with wheels 34 are forced down, and base 20 with footplate 21 is thus raised so that the pole-pulling device is ready to be moved. For the purpose of pulling poles 7, the operator is only required to shift control lever 29 back or forth which, in turn activates lifting member 23 in an alternating up or down direction, thereby pulling pole 7 when going up or taking a new grip when it has moved down. A simplified modification of the device provides for the wheels 34 to be directly mounted on the lifting member 22 so that when the lifting' member rises, the foot plate 21 is brought to rest on the ground.

I claim:

1. A pole pulling device for extracting poles from the ground comprising a frame, a pair of wheels, means interconnecting said wheels to said frame to permit said device to be rolled about, pole lifting means mounted on said frame for vertical sliding movement with respect to said frame for grasping a pole which is to be extracted, means for slidably moving said pole lifting means, base support means fixed to said frame for engaging the ground and for surrounding said pole which is to be extracted to support said device while said pole is extracted, and means for holding said base support above the ground when said device is to be rolled about.

2. A pole pulling device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a pair of axles for rotatably receiving a pair of said wheels, a pair of levers each connected at one end to said respective axles and at another end to said frame, said lever connections to said frame being pivotal connections about axes parallel to said axles, and foot means connected to said frame for pivoting said device to allow relative pivotal movement between said levers and frame.

3. A pole pulling device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a pair of axles mounted on said lifting means for rotatably receiving a pair of said wheels, whereby said frame is lowered so that said base support means engages the ground when said lifting means slides upward with said wheels. 

1. A pole pulling device for extracting poles from the ground comprising a frame, a pair of wheels, means interconnecting said wheels to said frame to permit said device to be rolled about, pole lifting means mounted on said frame for vertical sliding movement with respect to said frame for grasping a pole which is to be extracted, means for slidably moving said pole lifting means, base support means fixed to said frame for engaging the ground and for surrounding said pole which is to be extracted to support said device while said pole is extracted, and means for holding said base support above the ground when said device is to be rolled about.
 2. A pole pulling device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a pair of axles for rotatably receiving a pair of said wheels, a pair of levers each connected at one end to said respective axles and at another end to said frame, said Lever connections to said frame being pivotal connections about axes parallel to said axles, and foot means connected to said frame for pivoting said device to allow relative pivotal movement between said levers and frame.
 3. A pole pulling device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a pair of axles mounted on said lifting means for rotatably receiving a pair of said wheels, whereby said frame is lowered so that said base support means engages the ground when said lifting means slides upward with said wheels. 